Thursday, September 30, 2004

It was mild, by historical standards of thuggery, but who ever was acosting this high school senior should be brought up on charges. Spiting on her car? Flipping the bird? I hope most of this was from other teenagers, but the two 40 year olds should sure as hell known better than to act like brownshirts.

I loved how the Bulter Co. GOP spokesman played both sides of it. It might not have happened, but it if did, he wishes to apologize. Hmmm, that does not sound very bold, kind of waffling.

The White House said seven months ago that it had released all the records on President Bush (news - web sites)'s stateside military service during the Vietnam War, yet new records are still dribbling out as Election Day approaches.

When Hillary's documents appeared out of thin air, people wanted her to go to jail. A court has ordered all documents released to the press. How many more are being hidden?

Tonight is the beginning of the spin machine's zenith that lasts for about 30 days or so. I expect nothing from this debate but posturing and really trite focus group approved phrases.

Bush will say little. Kerry will hit him hard. The press will blather about style until the sun comes up tomorrow, never giving a damn about the substance. The press will onced again give Bush a pass on his Iraq policy, not challenging it, not dare speaking ill of the man that people find "likeable." After all, when fighting wars, being liked it the most important thing. I mean Patton's soldiers loved him. (cough, cough).

I plan on watching the debate at an undisclosed location (bar). I will not be playing any drinking games, but Bush mention Osama Bin Laden everyone must do about 50 shots. That is an über 'social.'

Hmmm, the Right-Wing gets pissed when the Media 'only' report negative stories about Iraq. Bronson regularly reports negative stories about the city, with nothing positive to say that I have noticed. I guess negative and positive is matter of perspective. It must be positive to kill the city in Peter's mind.

Wednesday, September 29, 2004

Who is bringing up the concept that political rhetoric can hurt Ohio's economy? Who instigated the idea that prompted Carl Weiser's column? Chamber's of Commerce maybe? Groups who support Bush? The nation Chamber of Commerce is in the pocket of the GOP, so I would no be surprised that politics prompted their PR campaign.

Shawn Mummert of CT sees any buzz as insignificant:

'In the short term, I'm sure that the Chamber of Commerce has a point. Fundamentally, it creates some negative buzz,' said Shawn Mummert, a software developer and board president of Cincinnati Tomorrow, an organization that works to attract young professionals.

But in the long term, he said, the focus on Ohio's economic problems will only help. He hopes the problems will get special attention from whichever candidate wins in November.

Besides, he said, Cincinnati suffers more from its image as an intolerant, culturally deprived backwater than from anything the presidential candidates are saying.

Nick Spencer chimes in with a similar point:

And reality is reality, said Nick Spencer, founder of Cincinnati Tomorrow. Ohio and Cincinnati are losing jobs and people, respectively. Rhetoric from the presidential candidates is not the problem.

"They're not diverse, open environments to do business in," he said of Cincinnati and the Buckeye State. "Ohio is still lagging behind the innovation economy."

This is what the edge of the hurricane looked like on Sunday at the beach near my parent's house. We never lost power more than a few seconds, but it did cause power outages on the beach for several hours. My parents live a couple miles inland. Farther North it caused far more damage. I can tell you that the sand really stings, unless you stand at the edge of the water.

The more freaky things was seeing the damage from Hurricane Charlie that hit last month. I was a able to see the line of where damage was bad and where it was minimal. It missed their house by less than 10 miles.

Tuesday, September 28, 2004

Cincinnati Experimental Arts presents artists taking part in a 24-hour artistic protest against apathy, or an “event of information” called Artists For Change. This organized “happenings” will begin at 11 am till 10pm on Thursday, September 30 and 11 am till 12 midnight on Friday, October 1, 2004. All events will take place free of charge on Fountain Square, Downtown. Artists from around the Queen City, and the Region are performing and displaying work on a variation of themes examining society and the politics of our world and our city.

“The role of artists in society is to transcend and comment upon that society; too often we find ourselves shouting in closets,” says Fringe Producing Director Jason Bruffy. “We hope that this will bring what the artists have to say to the masses.”

As part of the protest, CineX Art, the creative force organizing the event will present a staging of Only We Who Guard The Mystery Shall Be Unhappy, a new work by acclaimed playwright Tony Kushner featuring Laura Bush reading to a group of school children. Kushner’s play will be featured at 12:30 and 6pm on Thursday and 6pm on Friday. Other featured Artists include performances by: Blue Forms Group (Columbus based), SOS, Moving Art Dance Company, and Comic Revolution; musicians including Medic and Tracey Walker; and guest speakers, notably Michael Burnham of UC’s CCM.

For some unknown reason Peter Bronson is patting himself and his fellow Republicans on the back for getting a lot of people to come see Bush speak in a town that is likely the most Republican in the state. If Bush had real power in this area he would have gotten them to come downtown, but of course the suburban GOP seeks to kill the city, or at least wall it off from their lily white cul-de-sacs.

If they couldn't do this, then Bush would be in trouble. Doing this is no great political feet. Logistically it was a challenge, but getting Fanatical Republicans to come a tent revival for St. Dubya is like shooting fish in a barrel, or selling beer at an AA meeting, or getting agreement with the comment "Down with Muslims" at the Office of Special Plans in the Defense Department.

The rest of the local coverage was of course drivel. Local Dems got a paragraph with a sentence quote from Luken. That was it. Why not at least put all of Luken's response online? This area is not 90% GOP and 10% Nazi, we have liberal voices. The coverage of this event is unfortunately evidence of why local newspapers need real competition. If we are going to have partisan papers that cater to the right wing, then we need one on the left. The newspaper market prevents that and media deregulation makes it easier for one paper towns to exist. We are barely more than a one paper town, and in a few years that is likely all we shall be.

Monday, September 27, 2004

I don't remember any news stories about this before 2001, but did school dismiss school early so kids could see President Clinton? I doubt it. He came through town and spoke many times. There may be other Democratic towns where school days where altered for Clinton or even Kerry. If the event were at a school, fine, let the kids go. I do not think an entire school district should reduce the school day so that Bush can have a better photo opportunity. If this was in 2001 or 2002 before the campaign, I would not care so much. This is the use of public schools to promote a political candidate. I would be very proud if some of those kids where allowed to be up front and protest him. I doubt they would be allowed, and I am sure no one will let them.

This event is in Bulter County, but Warren county schools are getting out early. Lakota Schools can claim to be doing so for traffic, but no Warren County? I also hope that Lakota bands and choir members are not performing as the public school groups. Again, this is a political event. Kids are likely forced or at a least enticed to take part in the event, all to the benefit of Bush's political event.

I don't mind parents pulling out their kids, but the schools should not make it easier for Bush to hold a political event.

I hope we get some protest coverage. I hope people were let in, even though they wore Kerry T-Shirts. I hope no one was rude or broke any laws.

UPDATE: Hegmo points out that a high school band in Columbus performed at a Kerry event. That was totally wrong as well. Kids should not be used by schools or school officials for politics. Let their parents exploit them.

Sunday, September 26, 2004

When you are with your family on solemn business you never expect the unexpected. Well, I got just such a thing. A hurricane breezed through town (here in Florida) today. We got lucky, again, and only caught the tail end. This morning was a little bit scary, but we faced the storm head on. We did it literally by going to the beach during the Hurricane. It was intense, the most intense winds and waves on the beach here I have ever seen. The sand stung, and you could not help but get the taste of salt in your mouth. I have a few pictures that I will post when I get back to town later this week, but they don't do justice to the experience. What I find mindblowing is that we got the weak side of the storm and the winds where relatively mild compared to what the East coast of Florida got. It was an experience I will never forget.

"I think President Bush is addicted to his own spin. And on November the 2nd, the American people are going to stage an intervention. Because, how can you fix a problem if you don't even admit that one exists?"

I hope that every Kerry Supporter in the city goes to the Bush ally up in VOA park in West Chester. Do not cause trouble at all. Where your Kerry T-Shirts, or other Kerry Stickers, or make it know up front you are Kerry Supporter. Take a video camera. Document if they let you in and how you are threatened by local police, local security, and other people if you actually are let inside. I think you need a ticket to get in, but why not choose this time to visit the park?

DO NOT CAUSE ANY VIOLENCE. You can raise your voices in opposition at appropriate times, but do not be rude, unless others are rude to you. AGAIN, DO NOT CAUSE ANY VIOLENCE. DO NOT BREAK ANY LAWS. If GOP staffers or local police (same thing?) choose to violate your rights, don't resist. Just record what happens.

Document the entire event. Picture yourself being witness to the Nuremberg rallies of the 1930's. Pay attention to the speakers before Bush, those who don't make the cameras. Listen to the hate, and then see Bush agree to it by his silence.

Will I be there? No, I am going out of town tomorrow on family business for several days. I would have to work anyway, which is not that far from the event.

Good! Protecting rights of women has become something too many people in Ohio have forgotten about. We have too many religious zealots out to superimpose their twisted views not really even based in their religion on the rest of the society.

That is of course par for the course. If they could ban condoms, most of the same idiots who voted for this ban would vote for that too.

Reproductive rights are at risk. When everyone wasn't looking the right-wing is doing what it wants without challenge. The media gave this issue back page status. This story was local and the Enquirer took an anonymous AP report instead of sending a reporter about 4 blocks to the courthouse. Gee, lets just ignore this issue. We don't want to mess up the easy story we have with the horse race. Issues are just a nuisance that get in the way of playing gotcha.

I wonder if people should be fired, say Conservatives, who reported the lies that John Kerry was having an affair? Bronson wants Dan Rather's hide because he does not perform journalistic fellatio on George Bush. Why not fire people for reporting lies about John Kerry? Where's the boycott of FOX News? Oh, right, they are conservative news, therefore exempt from Bronson's scorn.

I wonder if Bronson avoided Vietnam like Bush did. I wonder if Bronson would see his war mongering now as a guilt ridden reaction to being a wimp 30 years ago.

It is amazing how people complain about something and then ignore it when their side does the same thing. I am sure I have done that, but guess what, I am a pissant. I don't do this for a living. I am not professional journalist. Bronson is, but does not give a shit. He wants everyone else to pay the piper but when he reports bullshit about John Kerry, no one but me say a damn word in this town. Why don't we call for Bronson to be fired? Oh right, the Enquirer has to appease the right-wing or face a boycott. Hmm, I guess I shall call Bronson's boycott of CBS as Boycott C.

"It's about a prestigious major News network based in the USA that used forged documents without proper objective evaluation which if believed by the voting public could bring down a President."

What about an Administration that used forged documents without proper objective evaluation which if believed by the public could lead to support for an unjust war? Do we really appreciate the magnitude and danger of such behaviour? Have you completely forgotten all the lies we were told before the war in Iraq? Bush used forged documents to convince the world that Iraq had tried to buy nuclear materials from Niger. They knew the documents were forgeries. Cheney knew, the CIA knew, Joe Wilson knew. They used them anyway.
So which is more dangerous? Rather using forged documents to show a spoiled rich kid getting special treatment during Vietnam? Or Bush using forgeries, fully aware that they are forgeries, to lead us to a pointless war where thousands of people will dies and create mass chaos in Iraq?

Plus, Bush still doesn't deny the content of the CBS memos. He went AWOL in the guard to drink alot and snort coke. He's a military deserter.

Once again the Enquirer is trying to copy the blog world with a MidPoint Music Festival blog. They really have not grasped two key elements of blogging: interactivity and voice. Blogs are not stale edited PR tools. They provide opinion and information, not just a diary.

Midpoint on the other hand is a great event. If I was going to be in town, I might blog it myself, and show how blogging events could work, with the right access to technology and time. If was getting paid to blog, damn, this thing might actually be good!

The UC Poll is out (pdf) and it does not favor Kerry. Carl Weiser gives the poll a big positive spin for Bushco. What no one seems to be looking at is a big number change from last month's poll and this months. The polling sample dropped from 812 to 456. That is a drop of 43.8% in sample size. We are not provided with the number of Dems vs. Reps. polled so comparison to Gallup is not available.

I know no one ever really reads the details of polls, we after all a society of lazy slugs, but it these numbers are in plainly in a chart on the UC press release. It also states that the poll was taken from September 12th - 17th, right after the 9/11 anniversary and the media spectacle. Complaining about polls is something I am not alone it and both sides complain, but I would think these two facts would be taken into consideration before someone rights a headline on a Press Release that does not use "Surges," but we have to have a big verb to get attention.

Tuesday, September 21, 2004

John Edwards was here and he answered questions too. Why hasn't Cheney done the same? I hope he does do that and I hope the Enquirer has read the questions I put forth for Dick and uses them or some of them.

Malone, who is black, said seeking legal protections for gays and lesbians isn't a civil rights issue.
'In the past, minorities have been denied the right to own property or denied the right to vote,' Malone said. 'I've never known homosexuals to be denied those rights. In terms of discrimination, I just don't see it.'

Well Sam, I've never personally witnessed a black person denied their rights, so I guess it never happens? I have never seen any Christian in this city or state not hired because of their religion.

Bronson's column danced on the head of a pin about homosexuals. It sounded like his editors got to him on it. If that is true, that is a good thing. If not, I would expect Phil Burress was disappointed in his mouthpiece. Sam Malone's views champion anti-gay bigotry. I just don't know why he supports discrimination. I don't know why any black person does. I don't know why any white person does, but ignorance can breed discrimination. Religion can breed it also.

Monday, September 20, 2004

'Sen. Kerry also said today that President Bush misled America by calling Iraq an `imminent threat.' The president said no such thing,' Cheney said. 'Our argument was that Saddam Hussein posed a 'gathering threat' that in a post 9/11 world we could not wait until a threat was imminent.'

If the threat was "gathering," THEN WHY COULD WE NOT WAIT? What a damn liar. He can't even lie well. The suckers buy it like lemmings. Blood, Blood, Blood makes their anger ebb. Fear is the BushCo platform. Fear of Arabs, fear of Muslims, fear of gays, fear of the poor, fear of the educated, fear of the French. Fear is a political commodity to the right. They trade it with the Media, who live off of it like it was going out of style.

North Korea, Russia, France, hell even Canada could be a "gathering" threat. When do we invade? Toronto by Halloween, or die trying!!!

I could be a gathering threat. One never knows when I could form my form dictatorship and threaten to take over control of the world.

Yes, very shrill, very uncivil, yet very true. How can people let their judgment be controlled for this long by nothing but fear?

The Mind Village has a blog on politics worth reading and has a post that should embarrass every West Chester Republican, as well as all Republicans. This is the simmering pot just looking to boil over. The tensions, hate, anger, fear, and senseless pride are flowing in people, and something is going to give somewhere. I saw some asshole at Oktoberfest ask for Kerry stickers from a woman passing them out and then right in front of her he slammed them on his ass and said "this is where they belong." I can understand people having strong political opinions. I surely have them and vent them often with lots of shrill venom in words, but confronting someone in person is in a whole different league. This guy did it out of pure spite, not just a drunken act. He was around 50 years old, setting oh such a great example for the young GOP Stormtroopers in attendance.

I am not cool. I am as cool as a warm ham sandwich. City Beat on the other hand has some real Cool People from right here in Cincy. Imagine that, someone cool in the Nati. Is it still cool to call it the Nati? Don't answer that please.

No offense to Global Exchange, I am glad they are coming to Ohio to observe our election, but I want former President Jimmy Carter to observe our elections, especially here in Cincinnati. People don't want to face a simple fact that we will have a mess here with an election being waged solely as a write-in contest for Prosecutor. The vote counting will be by hand. I expect the right-wingers will want to send in the Velvet Hammer to sue to prevent any counting at all and let Taft just appoint Deters to the position for life. Oh, did I type that out loud?

Saturday, September 18, 2004

The Left Coaster outlines clear evidence that Gallup's polls are just plain wrong. They are skewed towards the Republicans in a manner that goes beyond bias to ludicrous. Their polling method has created such a twisted result as to taint the entire process, making useless every poll taken by every other group. Gallup is the 800 pound gorilla of polling firms and their results help create a perception that can influence the herd.

A group is Group disputing the validity of petitions from Phil Burress's storm troopers trying to ban gay marriage via the Ohio Constitution. It has been banned already, but with Phil if you can't beat a dead horse, you just might have sex with it. Idle hands are the devil's tool and all, ya know?

Thursday, September 16, 2004

This story cites "U.S. Intelligence Officials" so it has to be taken with a grain of salt, but even an amateur like me can see that Iraq is in the early stages of Civil War now, and has no signs of getting better. Iraq is looking like Vietnam more and more every day. They only think missing is another superpower supplying weapons, but the rest of the Arab world is not that far off.

How can anyone not see Iraq is now a failure? I don't know that anyone can fix it, but Bush's choices have proved to be horrible. How can anyone think this guy is good commander in chief?

Mike Allen made a wise decision in resigning as Hamilton County prosecutor. He realized he was wrong and did what was best for Hamilton County but also the Republican Party.
Allen, unlike former President Clinton, was honest. We should still respect him, as his performance as a prosecutor was done well. I think that the issue was exaggerated and it was wrong to get the family involved. I hope our next prosecutor will do as good of a job as Allen.
Sarah Bolger
Bridgetown

Sarah should realize something: MIKE ALLEN DID NOT RESIGN! He is serving out his term. If he was doing the right thing, he would resign right now and give the job he will perform for the next nearly four months to someone else. He cheated on his wife with a direct subordinate for 3 years, lied about it two her, telling her it was over then continued the affair for over a year more. I guess that is real honest for a diehard Republican. Clinton is a red herring, for the billionth time. Sarah seems to read to much Bronson and has to bring in Clinton at the drop of a hat. I guess she might agree that is Bill Clinton's fault for Mike Allen having an affair and allegedly sexually harassing a woman. This is an example of ignorant human being who pays have attention to local TV news headlines and maybe reads a couple articles in the paper. This is the person that kills politics, because this is the type of stupid person politicians appeal to, especially here in Cincinnati.

All reports indicate that in the end the race for Hamilton County Prosecutor will boil down to Fanon Rucker (D) verses Joe Deters (R).

Deters is whining about something, that well was never covered very much by the local press, until now.

Deters' former chief of staff, Matthew Borges, and former fund-raiser Eric Sagun pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges in July.

So while prosecutor he missed the fact that one of his staff was stealing money from the evidence inventory, and while Treasurer his chief of staff broke campaign finance laws. This is the guy who is leaving statewide office to come back to a lowly countywide office, and people really want to vote for him?

Rucker is getting attacked as well, but since it is from the Boycott B, I treat it with, well, just a little bit of skepticism.

Wednesday, September 15, 2004

Why are the Dems so weak in this county not even mount a candidate for every office? Why is Simon Leis running unopposed? Sure, the people in this country are way too stupid to actually understand the guy is a fascist, which they may in reality like, but that should not keep the Dems from putting someone up on the ballot for the hell o f it.

Some say it is because unless you are self-employed you face ruining your career if you don't follow the rule of the GOP. I don't think I face that in the big corporation I work at, but I don't think it would help me any. Also, people want money and you don't make much as a public official. Unless you have money you can't afford to run. Locally the GOP has the money and fund their candidates and the Dems don't have the bread to win, well that and people are just too stupid to know any better. With a local media that brainwashes people it does not surprise that no one understand or cares what happens as long as nothing happens to them.

Ken Blackwell had better keep a special eye on the Hamilton County race for Prosecutor.: "'There are 88 counties in Ohio, and 68 use punch cards - and I've got to make sure we don't suffer the embarrassment of Florida in 2000,' Blackwell said, referring to the recount four years ago that delayed presidential election results."A county of the size of Hamilton with a race with only write in candidates and a local GOP itching to do its damnedest to win for their Fearless Leader® should be something to catch a little extra attention from the Secretary of State. We are going to have a mess here at the board of elections. We will have to count these by hand. That is something the GOP thinks is evil after all, so we can't trust it no matter what. We need a state official observing our election. Blackwell should station a team in the county on November 2nd and oversee how vote counts and poll workers operate, assuring no fraud occurs.

Wow, something halfway critical on Joe Deters. The main negative on Deters that should be trumpeted is this one:

He also faced a special prosecutor's investigation in Hamilton County that examined whether Deters or anyone on his staff attempted to cover up a theft from the evidence room while he was prosecutor in 1996.

Whether or not he knew about the theft, it happened on his watch as Prosecutor. His oversight of his staff is not much better than Mike Allen. No, pun intended.

Tuesday, September 14, 2004

In reading some of the comments I come away flabbergasted that people still think Bush is some ‘honest’ guy with a 'good' character. This is so misguided it is sad. If you think Bush's choices in governance are good, then fine, but to say how he has acted in office is of good character is laughable. If you think that anyone who 'won' an election under at best less than ideal circumstances (where more people voted against him) and then proceeded to govern as if those others opinions did not exist, then I think you need to rethink what honor and character mean. Ignoring the how he was elected and acting like he won in a landslide is the clearly the least honorable thing he has done. Well, that and misleading the county into war, but if you think the ends justify the means, I guess you will love this guy.

He also did, well, a shit load of other crap, but I think people can get my point.

Now, other than being a conservative Christian, what value has Bush put on the US, that other conservatives would stand up and cheer about? Budgets are going nuts. We have more poor people (they may not care). The rest of the world hates us (they may like that). What keeps the Bush people supporting him? Simple, they want to keep power on the right. That is comprehendible, but more cynical even than me.

It is nice to know that that hate is the biggest GOP weapon. Knowing what the other side thinks is good for any conflict. If Bush wins Ohio, I agree with Phil Burress, it will be the result of hate for homosexuals that bring out the theocratic fascists in droves.

Bronson cares not for fair elections. Bronson wants everyone to just trust his Ohio GOP to run everything and say nothing. I guess this is the same Ohio GOP playing games with the Prosecutors office? I guess Bronson trusts the white people to write in the names of Joe Deters and that those can be counted by hand, but if anyone challenges someone's handwriting, we should not question it and just let his man Joe win.

What Bronson fails to see is that the Democrats got screwed in 2000. He was happy as a peach. We were pissed. Bronson should learn that we don't trust the GOP. We don't trust Ken Blackwell and more than we trusted Katherine Harris.

Monday, September 13, 2004

The Prosecutor's race gone from a middle of the road 3 ring circus to the world's Biggest Big Top. Where the hell did Joe Deters come from? I guess the GOP needed Sir Galahad to save the day. We have so many points to make this a flaming pile of pooh, that is just too juicy not to sink your teeth into.

Deters Moves to the county just to run for office. This is what I call Office Shopping.

Melissa Powers is also in. I have no idea who she is other than "former assistant county prosecutor ." WLWT says she is a Republican.

Deters thinks this will affect the Presidential race. What a joke.

Deters is not going to resign as State Treasurer until the Prosecutor job is open? Who the hell is going to be State Treasurer if Deters wins? Are they going to try a bait and switch? Could it work? Could Deters be elected, then not take office and the GOP be allowed to appoint someone? Allen was appointed after all when Deters won the Treasurer's job.

I can be thankful that Deters is running and not Simon Leis. That would have been hell.

Few seem to be thinking about what a mess the local election officials will have with counting the ballots. Numbers will be high with the National election. This will create the need for more room for error or for manipulation. How do you write in a candidate on an electronic voting machine?

This story just helped kill business for the Main Street Area. Why should the city bother to exist if people are told to fear it every time they open the newspaper? Why don't we all just blow up downtown, blow up OTR, build 1,000 more cul-de-sac's in West Chester and live the stale bland Republican lives TPTB want.

Will we get an article soon Championing Fountain Square as the new hot spot?

I have no idea who the Dems will support today as a write in candidate. We have three possibilities: City Councilman John Cranley, former Assistant Prosecutor Jody Luebbers and attorney Fanon Rucker. All I know is that by the end of the business day they will pick one.

Believe it or not but Ken Lawson thinks he could actually win, or I assume that since he announced he may run. How do you really announce you may run? I guess formed a 3 day exploratory committee, or something of the like. WKRC states he is a registered Republican (but they use a small "r"). That for some reason does not surprise me. Lawson entrance without any endorsement will split the black vote and the Dems will likely not win. The person with most ads and the smartest people who can understand how to write a candidate in will win.

Mike Allen still does not have the guts to resign and the GOP still has not publicly asked him to quit. I guess winning is more important than honor. This was the party that said only the Dems did that (yep about Clinton), so I guess the pragmatism is spread around evenly.

The Cincinnati Post editorial gets the flap over Bush: he ducked his duties. The facts are out there and the document flap is meaningless. US News summed up the issues well and document, using basic math, that Bush did not serve all the time required by his commitment. Will people care? Not that much. The press seems to not want to show much about Bush, beyond the superficial and Bush supporters will never leave him, short of his committing murder. And then it would depend on who was murdered.

UPDATE: Just so you know that I am not going nuts, here is a screen shot from Google of the link:
Google Page Shot of Editorial Called "Bush's past is catching up" That is no long online.

UPDATE#2: I searched on the opening sentence from the Google page and came up with other Scripps Howard Newspapers with a similar editorial (reg rec'd), but I think still different, or just abridged.

Sunday, September 12, 2004

Ok, I am a 'white' liberal atheistic-agnostic Miami Alumnus New York State born Guy. I generally don't say that. I sometimes call myself a liberal. I sometimes call myself a Miami Guy, or when refer to where I am from I say I am a foreigner to a person born and raised here in Cincinnati. When I got out with friends or go to an organization I usually don't say it is out of liberal guys. Conservative Christians does this all the time, like poster boy Evangelical ChristianPeter Bronson:

"I was paired up with Ben Turpin in a weekend outing of Christian guys."

Now, I have no problem with people getting together to play golf. If a Christian men’s group wants to have an outing, that fine. What troubles me is that in his description of the guys as "Christians guys." It was not a group of guys who are all Christians. It is like saying I am a white guy. I don't see myself as a white guy. I am a guy, who happens to be white. I am human being first, then all other classifications come second.

This takes on a whole new meaning with some Conservative Christians refer to and champion Christian Businesses. We get websites like this: www.christianebuy.com where you can find a Christian Quick Lube and get slogans like:

As a Christian, do you have what it takes to make in the business world? Absolutely!

It puts a label on someone, that makes it sound like all else stems from religion, and being human is merely a side-effect. Christians will say being human is being a Christian, which just layers on the sectarianism.

Bronson's column was in general good in so much that he appeared to understand that there is a middle ground on racial profiling. It does exist. It does happen. I would agree with him that those that use it to make money are likely overstating what happened, but it happens in the burbs all too often. A label on a black person is moot when the eyeball places a definition on them before the mind does. The mind must work faster than the eyes, but we must not just replace racism with another means of separation. Being human beings is more important than being part of a religion or part of a political party.

This is typical of the GOP leaning Cincinnati Enquirer, but this "news" item with a headline is about as biased without even the hint of being objective. I mean we get a headline bashing Kerry for using the Bungle reference, but we get nothing about Lynn Cheney saying:

"Isn't it called 'the Queen of the Cities?' " she said. "It's a very apt title."

It is the Queen City, not "Queen of the cities." That is an Elton John Song. I wonder if Lynn's daughter played a little funny on her mom with that reference. Constantinople was known as the "Queen of Cities." It should be an insult for the 21st Century crusaders here in Cincinnati to be linked with a city now majority Muslim. Can't have that, now can we. (cough, cough)

Saturday, September 11, 2004

"But I have to tell you from all the stuff that we've gotten I really feel like I was misled," Lucas said, responding to a question during the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce's monthly Government Forum.

"I think people had good intentions but I feel very badly about that. Particularly with -- 1,000 young men and women who have died, and thousands who have lost body parts. I don't feel good about that," he said, trailing off as his audience listened silently.

Now, I assume the right wing response will be, "he flip-flopped." That will unfortunately be an attempt to ignore what he said, and instead try and make one who is honest, forthright, and nuanced as someone "weak." The game of having one idea or opinion and sticking to it no matter what is the kind of thinking this president has and it is type of 19th Century thinking that brought unnecessary deaths to millions of people. I hope we can bring the intellectual level of our government forward to the 21 century.

Friday, September 10, 2004

I will not get into the game of spin and duck on type fonts etc, but I will comment on this online story from WLWT. The story states that:

Richard Polt, a Xavier University professor, was called on to examine documents from the 1970s that could shed new light on information about George W. Bush's service in the military.

Ok, that is fine, but who called on him?? How did WLWT find out he was called upon? Later on the article states:

Several national magazines have called on Polt for his opinion.

Ok, now we have something added of merit, but WHAT MAGAZINES? National Review? Weekly Standard?

The most insane element was section, including the magazine reference:

"When you think about some of the details of the documents, it just adds up to something recently produced on a computer," he said.

Several national magazines have called on Polt for his opinion. He said the only excuse could be that the documents were handwritten and someone produced them on a computer.

How the hell does this guy know what the "only excuse" could be? That is a theory, but this guy has no knowledge or experience in what else could explain why "might" have been typed recently.

His opinions are being refuted in other places: Here and Here, and CBS is still sticking with their story and they have their own expert, Marcel Matley.

WLWT went for the local angle to this story, but failed to give any qualifications to the professor, failed to show who “called” on him to analyze the documents, and also failed to point out that he undoubtedly had copies of copies of copies of the documents, if not a higher level of distortion. Mr. Polt has done a lot of research on typewriters, but his knowledge of type fonts, seems to be limited. From his bio he appears to be a philosophy professor.

The game of claiming forgery has turned into another case of the Chewbacca Defense. There was far more to the CBS News story, than just those documents, but that doesn’t matter, when the game is afoot.

I really have little to say about Bush's National Guard Service. I have no respect for him, so this just reaffirms my opinions. What I find humorous is how it compares to the bogus charges against Kerry. The media are directly pushing this one through honest and legitimate means. The Swift Boat liars use spin and conservative media outlets to create a hollow scandal.

Thursday, September 09, 2004

No one in the local GOP has the guts ask Mike Allen to resign. They have James Rueger on the ballot, why are they a bunch of wussies? It is hilarious that the party of Christian values is not going to do a damn thing about the poster boy for sin running as their law enforcement champion in the county.

VP Dick Cheney and his wife are in town today for a "town hall" meeting to take questions from prescreened loyal republicans. If Dick had any balls he would take questions from someone like myself. If he is tough he could take them, but his boss reportedly is wimping out on answering people's questions too. Here is a list that anyone going to the event can feel free to steal and ask Dick:

Using specific examples, please demonstrate how Iraq posed a direct threat to the United States at any point in the week leading up to the start of the Iraq war in March of 2003.

Using specific examples, please demonstrate how Iraq coordinated any actions or efforts with Osma Bin Laden or other groups with known financial ties to the loosely defined entity called "Al Qaeda" before the United States invaded Iraq in March of 2003.

When claiming Iraq possessed WMD in the months/weeks/days leading up the invasion of Iraq did you, the President, and other White House decision makers play up the evidence of the existence of said WMD or did you horribly misjudge the situation?

Beyond the fact that the WMD's possessed by Iraq before Gulf War I (in 1991) were not accounted for completely, was there any other credible evidence that Iraq possessed WMD at any time after inspectors left in 1998?

Why do you refuse to list which non-governmental persons attended meetings, some call lobbying sessions, regarding the Administration's Energy Policy back in 2001. If you don't refuse to do so, then who attended those meetings? Did Ken Lay attend?

Why have you not required your employees (namely your chief of staff) to state under oath if they leaked the name of the CIA agent to the press or not?

What reports, research, advise, intelligence, summaries, data, pictures, or other information did the Office of Special Plans in the Defense Department give you, your office, anyone working for you, or anyone else in the White House regarding Iraq, WMD, terrorism, Saddam Hussein, or anything else?

That is just a little to get him warmed up. I know I would not get any answers, and since I think any honest answers are going to hurt their image, I am sure these questions would not be answered truthfully.

Wednesday, September 08, 2004

James Rueger has filed as a write-in candidate in the race for Hamilton County Prosecutor. So we now have to Republicans. Mike Allen is taking his time about bowing out. I guess he may be waiting to see who is going to try and run against him. Now that Luken is out, he might be confident he can win, even with this unknown Republican in the race.

The Dems still have not announced anyone. They have until early next week.

I never went there. I never wanted to go to there. I never will go there, but Spy Club is closing. Something will take its place. The old owner is going to open something else, somewhere else. The fickle tendency of trendy night clubs ebbs and flows like Red Bull down the chin of a drunken club chick.

I applaud Spy Club for lasting 5 years. Club Clau is likely eating big time into their business. Can Cincinnati support two Clau type clubs?

I want a bar for news junkies, complete with TV trained on 24 hour news from around the world and a PC where I could just sit on my ass drink beer and blog running commentary on transgressions of drunk people trying to get laid. I am dreaming, but a live blog at a bar that was on the bar's website as well as on big screen in the bar, that might work. An idea that maybe Nick Spencer could use?

Sound the Death Bell for yet another locally produced TV show. I have to admit that since they moved it to 7:30 AM on Sunday, I have watched it for a long time. I did try and catch the radio repeat on WVXU when I remembered it was on.

Where will go to see local media types get face time they really shouldn't get?

Tuesday, September 07, 2004

I am showing my true stripes tonight. I had the chance to cover John Kerry's Union Terminal speech tomorrow morning, but I had to decline. I have to work. I love blogging, I love following politics, but I know who butters my bread, and it ain't in cyberspace. It lies up in Cubical Hell: Mason, Ohio.

So instead of getting a seat at a spotlight event, I will be staring a computer screen filled with numbers. Oh what a corporate stooge I am.

Why does Columbus, Ohio need Sheriff Deputies to protect polling stations? Is there any specific threat? Which locations will they cover? Why was this information released? Who in the in their right mind is really fearful of a terrorist attacking their polling station?

This is a political ploy. This serves to keep anyone fearful of police away from the polls and to bring in the highly irrational person (likely Bush voters) with highly irrational fears of terrorists and of "them," whomever that may be.

Moore claims Attorney General John Ashcroft lost his Senate race to a "dead guy.'' False. Ashcroft narrowly lost to Mel Carnahan's widow, Jean. Despite apparent voter fraud, Ashcroft refused to challenge the results.

What name was on the ballot Mr. Bronson? Where is your proof of "apparent voter fraud?" Now he just makes stuff up? Why does he not mention who his UC student contact is? Is he Young Republican? I bet he is. We can't have a Republican activist offended now can we? At least he finally is on UC, instead of using emails from Miami's GOP club as the basis of his columns.

Now, this column is just typical Bronson. All claim, and NO FACT. He can point to a "list", but can't site a single source for any of his claims. He can't even give a link for the right-wing group from which he pilfered half of his column. It is typical of him to ride on Jean Carnahan. Attacking Widows, as long as they are Democrats, is just peachy for hack conservative columnists.

Charlie Luken has ended speculation that he would run for Prosecutor. Burke, local Dem lead, states they have a candidate. Who? Cranley?

Phil Burrss, a simple man of consistency, has changed his tune on Mike Allen:

"Allen's affair with an employee and the pending sexual harassment lawsuit have critically injured his ability to lead the Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office," Burress says in a written statement to be released today. "That position demands a leader whose personal moral conduct is beyond reproach."

"I can't pass judgment on either of them until all the facts are out," Phil Burress, president of Citizens for Community Values, said. "We have complete compassion for her if indeed she was sexually abused. But I know Mike Allen so well that this is hard to comprehend."

John Kerry is planning a speech on Iraq at Union Terminal. This comes 2 years after Bush made his infamous speech filled with either bad information Bush use bad judgment in stating or bad information Bush knowingly spewed to the public as part of a misinformation campaign. What ever the choice, I hope Kerry points out in detail where Bush mislead us into an ill planned war, still taking lives, and approaching 1,000 American dead.

Tragic news from Dayton. 47-year-old Derek Ali, a 20 year reporter for the Dayton Daily News, was killed while protecting a woman from gunfire that erupted at a party. A group of individuals was denied entry the party and reportedly opened fire on the building, killing Mr. Ali.

Here I present the darker side to Riverfest. Well, there were many darker sides: mis-clothed people, drunken idiots, stupid people, and way too much Lynard Skynard. What this demonstrates is the bigotry that simmers under the surface of this country. This man was right outside one of the entrances to the Riverfest yesterday. He was registering people to vote and giving out Bush/Cheney Stickers. As I passed by, telling the guy this picture was very "blogable," I heard a woman tell the man "good job." I retorted, in my oh so witty way, "good job? Jeesh!" That fixed her wagon, let me tell you. I walked right inside and got my Kerry/Edwards sticker for a very pleasant looking non-anti-gay woman and went on my merry way.

Do non-anti-gay people who are voting for Bush really just ignore the anti-gay issues? I guess since they are not gay, they just don't care? Yes, I know there are issue that we all compromise when voting for people, and yes Kerry is against gay marriage, but he does not seek to keep Gays as second class citizens by his support for Civil Unions. Bush's admend could have supported that, if he really wanted equal rights for homosexuals. I don't think he does. I would bet this guy in the picture would not want it either.

Sunday, September 05, 2004

I am declaring myself the official blogger for Riverfest 2004. I am typing now live from the 24th floor of One Lytle Place overlooking the river. We are having a great little party with one of the best views of the fireworks. If you care to watch them live I suggest tuning in to channel 12. If you have not left for the fireworks, I suggest staying home. If I can I will have some pictures on here later.

Kevin Drum comments on an up coming Time article (not yet online) where plans for a second term of a Bush administration indicate that "at least five or six foreign countries" are possible targets for military action.

Kevin comes up with the obvious yet often overlooked reality of this election,

A vote for Bush is a vote for more wars, and with this crew in charge it's unlikely they'll turn out any better than Iraq has.

The beloved Bush, George the Lionhearted, is planning to further his crusade against the Muslim world. How he can plan on doing this and not either create a massive push for an expanded number of enlisted soldiers or reintroduce the Draft is a mystery you will not hear anyone on the right talk about before the election.

The Enquirer went all out today in reporting on the Collins-Allen affair. The headline with interview based story on Collins. What followed was something that I have never seen from a newspaper, a story about a person's former tenure with that newspaper. The trifecta is completed with an acticle foreshadowing possible change with its report about the Hamilton County GOP holding a "Come to Jesus Meeting" with Mike Allen in the near future.

The spin is getting so thick we'll need to dig out the waders. I am amazed at the Enquirer's article with a headline of "While admired by some at Enquirer, Collins no stranger to office gossip." How better to get gossip in the press than to use it as a self-reflective tool showing one's own humanity. This is a smear, plain and simple.

Some in the newsroom said those efforts made her seem manipulative. Collins acknowledges she was the subject of office gossip, most of which, she says, was ridiculous. But some of that gossip is now of interest to Allen's lawyers, who want to know more about Collins' past relationships and conduct in the workplace.

Of particular interest are any relationships she may have had with supervisors.

If they are rumors, then name names. Don't put Collins out there with hints that she was one to sleep with her bosses to get ahead, without naming those bosses.

No one in the mainstream local media has picked-up with the Blue Chip Review's story about there being two other women who are or could come forth and claim sexual harassment against Mike Allen. Does Allen have other affairs? What about his days as a police officer? Where are the stories of him back in law school or back in the CPD?

Other interesting side note from the story about Collins' past at the Enquirer, it notes that Peter Bronson and Mike Allen are or were friends many years ago. Does Nate Livingston's gossip story hold up about the Enquirer holding back a Bronson column calling for Allen to resign?

I was out this morning getting coffee and as I waited for my Venti-Moca-Skim-No Whip I observed a couple talking to another woman about politics. This couple was wearing "Firefighters for Bush" t-shirts. Yes, I had to hold back the vomit. They smell of coffee helped. I did not hear much of their conversation, but one phrase caught my ear, "Where was John Edwards?" The female in the couple was asking the woman. I don't know the exact context, but my overall impression was that they were tossing back and forth trite rhetoric they heard on TV.

I often have the urge to interject into almost any political discussion, especially those who come across as what I will call amateur politicos. Now, I use amateur not in the sense of being paid vs. not being paid. What I mean is those who only read the headlines and party fliers and then try to argue politics with people, instead of those who know the complexity of the issues. Most people reading this blog, I would surmise, are fairly well read, and at least are smart enough not to be gung-ho without knowing your shit. These people seemed convinced of their point, but likely know only the superficial talking points, and know little beyond what the candidate wants them to know. I really can't stand people like this. I guess I could compare it to "fair weather" fans, or to band wagonieers.

These type of voters are what makes me just want to give up following politics. I held back from interrupting their conversation. That would have been rude, and I am not a rude person in public. I was very tempted however to put them in their place.

What do people think about those who really don't know a damn thing about politics? Now, I don't mean those who are on the other side of your position, although all too often they are just as bad, I mean those who only pay attention once every four years.

"Swing" voters in Cincinnati are Conservatives nearly everywhere else. Frank Luntz's spin from Cincinnati is more of the same. What was funny is this quote from the GOP stronghold of Anderson Township:

Patricia Kraps, a 44-year-old human resources supervisor from Anderson Township, said the speech was positive because "It wasn't negative."

I guess she missed the rest of the primetime speakers at the RNC Convention.

Reporter Greg Korte gets kudos for giving us truth:

To be sure, the focus group leaned right of center - a reflection of a mostly conservative base in southwestern Ohio. But with very few swing voters in play - pollsters say the number is 4 percent to 8 percent of Ohio voters - Bush can't afford even a few defections from weak Republicans.

MSGOP gets another shot or did Frank just pull the wool over timid NBC's eyes?

Thursday, September 02, 2004

The Democrats are going to put out a candidate for Prosecutor. Who will it be? Three names come to mind: David Pepper, John Cranley, and believe it or not Charlie Luken. Who else would the Dems put out there who can raise money quickly?

One of these three would certainly start to clear up the race for Mayor.

Wille Cunningham, local talk radio hack was never selected to lead the Pledge, yet press releases and news reports said otherwise. It appears it was all just a lie put forth by Cunningham to gain attention. Well, media whores do that kind of thing, and well, Willie is a media whore.

Now, I know Cunningham is full of shit 75% of the time, but what is sad, many people don't know that, and even some do and don't care. Cunningham is the poster child for bad media. People complain about Hollywood. They would do better to push Clear Channel to keep Burbank on the comedy side, keep McConnell on the serious side, and just ditch Cunningham and put on something that is not just media whoring.

Korte reports about GOP Pollster and Talking Points King regarding why he chose Cincinnati for his focus groups:

For Luntz, Cincinnati has become a favorite place to take America's pulse.

Ah, Greg may wish to rethink that. Cincinnati is not the pulse of America. I am sure no one living here actually thinks that. Cincinnati is conservative, loyally so, and the people are fickle, easily influenced. What better target to go after for a focus group you want to spin your way, assuming you are a Republican.

Wednesday, September 01, 2004

It is a lie to call Zell Miller a Democrat. The guy is more Republican than 4/5ths of the primetime speakers at the convention. He disgusted me. I don't mind a Republican saying what they will, fine. That is their convention, that is their choice. What is bullshit is Miller pretending to be a Democrat. He is not. He is what I can call a traitor, especially after his speech tonight. He spewed nothing but crap attacks on Kerry and then kneeling at the foot of Bush.

What is worse is that Miller is a lame duck. The Dems can't do a thing. What is brutal about Miller is how he turned on the Dems. It is like the guy has a hardon for Bush. I mean what could make you turn that fast??? Well, fear of Muslims could do it. Fear and hate, that is. I wonder if he favors a crusade too? Artios had it best:

Wow, I never thought Zell would be able to improve on the original German version of Pat Buchanan's '92 speech, but he did.

Now, Nate knows how to turn the media on its ear and say uncle, especially the AP. Here he "reports" that the Enquirer refused to run a Peter Bronson article calling for Mike to resign. Now, I don't know if Nate is baiting the media, maybe he is just baiting me, but Bronson's take on this would be most poignant. That is why not having him spout off either in defense or on the attack of Allen is not typical Bronson. What would really motivate the Enquirer to pull it, if they indeed did?

Now, how many degrees of separation are their between Nate’s “friend” and Bronson? That would be interesting and would indicate how factual this claim is.

I hear many Bush supporters talking about fighting terrorism and from that I would follow they fear terrorists. Ok, fine. Who do they fear will attack them? Who do they think in Iraq circa March 2003 was going to attack them?

I don't want to hear the idiots who still think al Qaeda was working with Iraq, just please don't bother with that myth. What terrorists were stopped by invading Iraq? What terrorists in Iraq could attack the USA? Now, I am sure the right-wingers are still dying to shout out Iraq was link to Osama, but nope. That is part of the propaganda their president and his minions created to make fear their political motivator of choice.

Fear is Bush's hope. Bush is betting that people fearing terrorism will vote for him more than Kerry. He does this because he is willing to use a war that has nothing to do with 9/11, and then make it all the same thing. Unless that same thing is a religious crusade against all Muslims, then they are apples and oranges. There are some who want to wipe out Muslims. I wonder how many of those people are in the government, and how many are just talk radio nuts. Some days I can't tell the difference.

Does anyone care to make a prediction or two on how many timesCheney attacks John Kerry? I mean this team of positive candidate's has to show how positive and optimistic they are and how great their plans are by going negative on Kerry.

Lisa Allen, local judge and Mike Allen's wife has spoken out on her husband's affair. Her views were understandable about what her husband did to her, but what I seem to miss is her rage that Allen lied to her twice. She found out about the affair, Allen said it was over, but it did not end. When did she find out it did not end? The article paints the other woman as the one Lisa Allen blames, not so much Mike. That simple fact sounds like she made this PR run to help her husband's defense against Collins. That I think makes her a pawn. Did Mike Allen put her up to the PR tour?